Cross the Chessboard
by Eternal-Explosionist
Summary: Emma Rogers had never been one to stand out of a crowd. She simply kept her head down and worked hard. So when her whole world is traded for one she had only seen in movies, she quickly realizes that she's a small pawn on a very large chessboard. But...could she interfere with fate? For a certain dwarf prince, she found herself willing to take on all of Middle Earth. Fili x OC
1. Chapter 1

**Cross the Chessboard**

_Emma Rogers had never been one to stand out of a crowd. She simply kept her head down and worked hard. So when her whole world is traded for one she had only seen in movies, she quickly realizes that she's a small pawn on a very large chessboard. But...could she interfere with fate? For a certain dwarf prince, she found herself willing to take on all of Middle Earth..._

**Chapter One**

* * *

It was a normal day. She had woken up, gotten ready and gone to work. Later, she had her lunch, went back to working at her computer and the afternoon ticked by while it rained for the last few hours of her shift like it always did during the rainy season. She had decided to stay a bit later to finish up her report so that it wouldn't be hanging over her head the next day. Not to mention that it was nice to enjoy a quiet office without the phones ringing and the constant chatter. When she saved her work and sent it off in an email to the next person so to be processed, she tossed her cross body bag on, turned off the lights, and locked the door behind her.

A normal Tuesday.

She didn't even worry about the fact that it was dark outside already, her own thoughts busy with ideas of what to do for dinner, check her bank account app to debate if she could stop by the gas station or if she could make it another day when her paycheck processed—

Suddenly it was daytime.

Flinching at the abrupt change, it took her a moment to realize that she was lying flat on her back, looking up at a beautiful blue sky dotted with perfectly white clouds.

_What…?_

Carefully pushing herself up, she didn't feel any aches or pains. That was certainly a good sign. Her fingers closed around blades of grass and she slowly took in her surroundings, the sight of lush rolling green hills registering. It was all so beautiful, the sheer richness of color stole her breath away. It had been so long since she was out in the countryside—

"Quite an odd place to sleep, if I do say so."

At the sudden voice she couldn't help but flinch terribly, half turning around and half scrambling to her feet only to fall promptly onto her backside with a small yelp.

"My apologies. I did not mean to startle you," came the kind voice again.

Doing her best to try to ignore her embarrassment, she looked up to see an elderly man with a tall walking stick, dressed in grey…robes? Which was a look complete with a pointed grey hat.

Her eyebrows came together in confusion at the first thought that came to mind.

"Gandalf?"

The old man's eyebrows rose in response. "Why yes. Have we met before?"

She couldn't help but cringe at her own nerd-outburst.

"Oh, no—I mean, I know what character you're dressed up as, but—um," she inhaled with a sharp hiss at the abrupt headache, bringing a hand to her temple.

"Are you all right, miss?"

"Y-yeah. Um, sorry if this is a dumb question," she began, squeezing her eyes shut for second to shove the ache aside, "but—where—where are we?"

"Why we are just a short walk away from the Shire," the man informed her easily. She blinked in response, confused.

"The Shire—? Oh, you don't have to stay in character, really, I won't tell anyone," she promised, pushing herself upright. Only to trip and fall straight back down, much to her surprise. "The hell?"

"Here, allow me," said "Gandalf", offering his hand. Since she couldn't seem to figure out how to stand on her own, she gratefully accepted the help.

"Thank you. First day with the new feet apparently," she tried to joke. When she was standing upright, her uneasy smile quickly fell away as she had to crane her neck to look up at the stranger. She was only as tall as the man's waist which was absolutely a first for her since she was quite tall herself at five foot ten inches. By god she felt like a child next to him.

"Whoa—just how tall are you, guy?" she couldn't help but ask. "I'm sure you get that a lot but—wow." She tried to take a step back and nearly fell over again. Huffing, annoyed at herself now, she looked down at her feet to see what in the hell she was constantly tripping over and was more than a little confused to see the length of her blue dress pooling against the ground.

"What…?" She pulled the material out away from her to examine, thrown off by the newfound and very generous length. She turned to see that the cabled sweater she was wearing was also now oversized and since she was standing she could see that the sleeves were much too long for her. Which was never the case. She always struggled to have sleeves fit her properly, they were always too short. Three-quarters sleeves were her solution to every outfit for that very reason.

"What on earth?" she muttered. "What—what's going on?"

"Is something wrong?"

"My clothes—they're not—right…?"

"Perhaps more of a formal look for a Hobbit," hummed the man, "but I do try not to judge by appearances alone."

"They're too big? Which makes zero sense and—" she stopped short and looked back up at the stranger oddly. "Wait—I'm sorry—did you just call me a Hobbit?"

He returned her odd look. "Yes, my dear. I'm afraid I do not know your name, though you know mine."

"Emma," she quickly introduced before continuing on. "Listen, just because you're freakishly tall does not mean you can make fun of me and call me a Hobbit."

"I assure you, Lady Emma, I was not making fun. Simply pointing out that Hobbits don't normally wear such long gowns," he clarified kindly.

"But it—wasn't long?" The dress had stopped at her knees…

Her heart was beginning to beat a little faster now. What was going on? Where was she? How was it day when it was night just a second ago? What was wrong with her clothes? She took a shaky breath and went to run her hands through her hair.

Only to stop when she brushed over her ears and discovered a slight point that most certainly wasn't there before and that her hair had considerably more length than her regular bobbed haircut.

"Oh god…" she couldn't help but mutter. She gave a sharp tug on one of her ears only to discover the very real sensation of pain and nerve endings. "Oh god…"

"Gandalf" may have said something right then, but she was too busy gather the length of the hem up in her arms to hear him. When her feet were revealed she was horrified to find them bare, the tops hairy, and larger than they should be. She willed them to give a little wiggle and her toes obliged.

Now she was certain that her heart was going to explode. Or her brain. She didn't know which exactly, but some part of her mind had to be short-circuiting. Her mouth was open in abject horror.

"No, no, no, no, no, no…"

"Lady Emma?"

She managed to take a few steps away before bending down and daring to pinch at the skin on her feet. A sharp pain registered and she quickly felt around for a seam of some sort. Anything that could assure her that it was a dream or a really horrible prank. She had already pinched herself and that didn't seem to be doing the trick. Her heart seemed to be pounding in her (now slightly pointed) ears and she couldn't quite seem to draw a deep breath.

Whirling around, she faced the stranger again.

"Y-you're telling me…that you're Gandalf the Grey?" she rasped, weakly pointing at him.

He nodded, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he studied her. "Yes."

"And this—we're near the Shire….we're…in Middle Earth…?"

"That is correct," he agreed slowly. "You seem very alarmed by this."

Emma lowered herself to the balls of her feet, hands in her newly long hair again, while she tried to force herself to breathe. She certainly didn't need to faint on top of everything else. Otherwise it would just be an encore of her freak out.

"I'm think—I think I'm having a break down, or—or a hallucination, or, god, I don't know what…!" she managed to wheeze, desperately trying to keep from crying.

"And what makes you say that?" he asked, his tone still patient and kind. "I could try to help put things into perspective, if you would like?"

Tentatively, she glanced up at him again, her body still trembling but he offered his hand again and she found herself accepting it once more. Once upright she put her hands on her waist, still focusing on taking deep breaths.

"Now, why don't we begin again?" he suggested with a smile. "I am Gandalf the Grey."

She gave a nod, following his lead. "I-I'm Emma Rogers. Nice to—meet you, Gandalf…" _Oh god what a weird thing to say…_

"The pleasure is mine, Lady Emma," he said with a small bow. "Where are you from, if not the Shire?"

She opened and closed her mouth once before answering weakly. "Not…Middle Earth…?"

"Hmm, then you are very far from home it would seem," he noted thoughtfully. "Why don't you accompany me to the Shire as we try to figure out more of your current predicament?"

She relaxed a bit when he didn't react poorly to her admittance. "I would like that—thank you..."

"It would be a pleasure, my dear. I do enjoy good company."

He gave a kind smile again and Emma quickly gathered the excess length of her dress in one hand so to follow him along the path. If it really was a dream, then she would wake up, but if…if it wasn't, then she certainly didn't want to be left alone.

"If you do not recall how you arrived," he began, "then perhaps we can start with how you knew of me? I'm afraid I'm not quite familiar with the workings beyond Middle Earth."

"I…" Her words died in her throat as her thoughts began to rush. Should she tell him that he was a story to her? That seemed like a risky move. What if it ruined everything? Somehow changed how Frodo and Sam got rid of the ring? Or what if this was after the ring? Oh god…

Daring to glance back up, she answered, "I've heard your name through stories…"

"Only good ones, I hope," chuckled the wizard, amused.

Well that didn't help narrow down a timeline. Shocking.

"What, um, brings you to the Shire?" she tried. "Do you know—"

Her words were promptly lost when she tripped over her own feet and crashed to the ground.

"Are you all right, Lady Emma?" asked Gandalf, offering his hand once more. Pushing herself up with minimal swearing, she accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her upright. Again. She was sensing a theme.

"I am already tired of these feet," she grumbled, dusting off her front.

"You speak as if they are new to you," pointed out Gandalf, his blue eyes glimmering with interest. "Tell me, Lady Emma, does your home have the races of Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits?"

She couldn't help but shake her head. Sharp as a tack that Gandalf. "Just the race of Men. Everything else is—well they're…stories..."

He made an interested noise and was then quiet as they continued to walk. Not wanting to risk upsetting him or worse, being left alone, she decided to keep her mouth shut until he addressed her. To try and distract herself, she kept her thoughts occupied with observing the beautiful scenery as well as using her newfound feet at the same time. Learning to walk was going to have to be skill number one.

It seemed like an age before he spoke again.

"These stories you mentioned," he said slowly, "are you familiar with them?"

"Um, yes?" she answered with a half shrug. "I mean, I would watch the movies on Christmas with my mom—she was a big fan of the trilogy when she was younger so it kind of became this tradition of ours. To—to listen to the stories, I mean…"

_Keep your story together, Rogers!_ she mentally scolded herself.

"So familiar then," he hummed in interest. There were a few paces in quiet while the wizard seemed to mull over his thoughts. Emma bit down on her lower lip in worry, not daring to say anything. He didn't ask for any specifics, so she didn't say anything wrong…right?

"I will have to discuss with the leader of our company," began Gandalf, "but how would you feel about accompanying myself and thirteen dwarves on a quest?"

Her answer was less than eloquent as she openly stared up at him.

"_What?_"

* * *

Gandalf liked to believe that at this point in his very long life that he was rarely ever truly surprised by much anymore. It was the kind of confidence came with old age and a worldliness after countless years of never ending travel, he supposed.

So when he was on his way to the Shire to speak with Bilbo Baggins, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of a female Hobbit. Not so much her being there as they were near the Shire, but how she appeared on the side of the main path between one second and the next. Her state of dress was very unusual for a Hobbit, the long hemline of her dress tangled around her feet causing her to fall more than once, to which he offered her assistance. The following conversation had proven…interesting.

It seemed the young lady, Emma Rogers, was not from Middle Earth. In fact, she was thoroughly alarmed by her state of dress, stature, and location. She had mentioned that she knew stories of Middle Earth which is why she knew his name at first sight, but they were just merely stories.

The quest to take back Erebor had long been on his mind, he would admit. To reclaim the homeland for the dwarven people led by Thorin Oakenshield, the rightful King Under the Mountain, descendant of the Durin's line. The gears had begun moving months ago when he first met with Thorin and encouraged him to take back the mountain. It was a noble cause in its duality to take back the home for the dwarves as well as defeat the threat of Smaug the Terrible if he still lived. He knew that Smaug would be a serious threat if dark forces tried to wage war once more, using the fire drake to their advantage.

He studied the young she-hobbit surreptitiously from the corner of his eye as they walked. She was still struggling to come to terms with her current…situation, understandably. It was no accident that she was brought to Middle Earth just before they were to complete their company and set out for the mountain and had knowledge of their world and its tales.

When he asked her if she cared to join the company of thirteen, she was shocked but he saw the recognition flash across her features. She knew of their tale. That would be most fortuitous if she would agree to come so to assist them along the way.

A beat passed before she took a breath and nodded, looking back up at him with brown eyes that seemed all the brighter in the morning light.

"Y-yes…Yes, I'll go with you."

Though her voice trembled he could see that spark of determination beneath the fear and uncertainty. A glimmer of hope.

"Very well. I will speak Thorin when he arrives to discuss your place in the company."

He did not miss the small twitch of a smile that pulled at the corner of her lips. Yes, this would prove most helpful as well as most amusing.

* * *

**REVIEW! I can't wait to hear your thoughts! I've working on this story on and off for a while now, debating whether or not if it's something I should properly flesh out and post on here, but I've had such rough writer's block that if it makes me want to write I'm going to do so and share with you guys along the way.**

**Next chapter it's time to meet the dwarves! Good luck to Emma in trying to keep her cool lol**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Cross the Chessboard**

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Okay.

This was becoming more of a problem.

Emma had agreed to Gandalf's proposition of joining the quest, to be honest, still clinging to the small hope that she was somehow dreaming. In dreams, there was no proper sense of time and they had been on the road toward the Shire for the better part of an hour and she was painfully aware of every single minute of it. She could feel the sun on her skin, the wind in her hair, and the worn path beneath her unbearably bare feet as she kept worrying over the wizard's offer of a quest.

A company of thirteen dwarves…

_Oh my god…_

"Gandalf…?" she spoke up, trying not to let her voice shake too much. To be perfectly transparent, she was simply happy that she hadn't had a complete meltdown yet. If she could postpone that for as long as possible that would be ideal. It was all still on the very edge of dreamlike, despite her earlier notes.

"Yes, my dear?" he replied easily.

"Um…How…?" She bit down on her lip, hesitating. This was Gandalf the Grey, the ultimate good guy, she reasoned with herself. She could talk to him about how she was brought there. He could understand that she wasn't from Middle Earth right? Not from anywhere _near_ Middle Earth.

The air was quiet between them as he patiently waited for her to finish her question.

"How—um, how am I…here? In Middle Earth? In this different body?" She gestured down herself with her free hand, the other busy holding a handful of her dress's material so to save her from tripping again. Not that it stopped her from half stumbling, scuffing her feet weirdly against the ground, unused to the new size. That was a whole different head game.

"That is quite the question, it seems," he nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is the will of Valar that you are here now? To aid us on our quest to reclaim the mountain?"

"But—I mean—I'm more than happy to help, of course—but, Gandalf, you've got the wrong person for the job," she tried to explain. _And what in the hell are the Valar?_ She couldn't help but think to herself. _Good god I should've read the books!_

_That_ was going to be a reoccurring thought.

"Oh?"

She nodded quickly. "There are people back home who are more than qualified to help—I mean, I-I never even read the books—just watched the movies over the holidays. I just—I…I just work in an office…"

"A person is far more than their occupation, Lady Emma," Gandalf chided, though not unkindly. "As you mentioned, you are willing to help. That is of far more importance. Not to mention that your gift of foreknowledge will be incredibly invaluable on our journey."

She opened and closed her mouth uselessly, unable to find a proper argument. Of course information would be important…they were going against a giant fire breathing dragon. If she was in their shoes she would want as much intel as possible so to help.

Still, she couldn't help but bite worriedly at her bottom lip, her voice small as she asked, "But how…how am I supposed to get home…?"

There was a heavy pause.

"If our journey brings us to Rivendell, we can bring your situation to the attention of Lord Elrond," Gandalf told her after a moment. "Would that be acceptable to you, my dear?"

_Lord Elrond…_She gave a nod. That was reassuring. She knew for a fact that Lord Elrond was a good guy from all of the times she watched the Lord of the Ring trilogy. Definitely a good guy. Not to mention that she was fairly certain that he was introduced in the first Hobbit film pretty early on. _Okay, so that won't take too long,_ she reasoned. _And if this ends up being a dream then…well, it's certainly the most vivid one I've ever had…_

The path rounded a bend and she couldn't help but gasp at the sprawling town before them.

"The Shire is quite the sight, isn't it?" Gandalf asked, a knowing smile in his voice. She could only nod, eyes wide as she took it all in.

Again, she was floored by the sheer _color_ of everything. The grass was still that perfect kind of green, especially when contrasted with the true blue sky overhead. The hills rolled seamlessly together and she could spot the iconic round doors dotting them, marking them as homes for the Hobbits of the Shire. There were pastures, plots for farming, livestock, it was a little country village, straight out of a book retelling. It was a quiet and lovely place, the Shire, she noted with a small smile.

Emma stepped closer to Gandalf as they carried on, not daring to leave his shadow, nervous as they started to walk through the Shire. There were Hobbits milling around, doing their daily chores and errands. It was a little tricky to think of them as Hobbits as they were now at her eye level, she noticed. _Or rather, I'm at their eye level…_ Though they were politely received, many nodding as they passed or giving a wave and a smile. Feeling a bit better, she found herself returning the gestures with a nod and small smile of her own.

_Okay…not so bad…_

They were making their way up a particular hill and she nearly bumped into the wizard when he came to a stop, still too busy looking around to properly notice what was directly in front of her. She looked up at Gandalf first, then followed his gaze and couldn't help but inhale sharply when she realized where they were exactly.

The iconic round green door and the Hobbit who was smoking his pipe out on his front bench. Curly brown hair, a yellow vest, and he was quiet for a moment as he regarded them both.

_Holy shit, he's Bilbo Baggins!_ She couldn't help but mentally fangirl.

"Good morning," he greeted after a moment.

"What do you mean?" asked Gandalf cryptically. "Do you mean to wish me a good morning or is this a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?"

She couldn't help but sympathize with the Hobbit at the wizard's rigmarole way of answering the simple greeting.

"All of them at once…I suppose," he answered slowly.

"Hmmm…"

There was another sort of pause and now even she was beginning to feel that second-hand awkwardness as she waited for the conversation to pick up. She certainly wasn't going to speak up. What if she messed up something? This was important to the story.

"Can I help you?" offered Bilbo.

"That remains to be seen…" Gandalf continued in his mysterious manner. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure…"

"An adventure…?"

He lowered his pipe at the word. There was a spark of interest but it was quickly extinguished by propriety. "No, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner."

Bilbo busied himself with checking the mailbox, humming absently to himself with his pipe now between his teeth. Emma dared to peer around Gandalf, watching the Hobbit with curiosity. He was keeping his gaze away from the wizard, flipping too quickly through the mail so to appear busy. Like he was looking for an excuse to get out of an awkward conversation with a stranger. Lord knows she's been in that spot before.

Realization knocked her right on the head at the subconscious connection. _Oh—That's right!_

"He doesn't remember you," Emma half-whispered, doing her best to start being helpful. The Hobbit flinched at her voice, having just spotted her.

"I-I beg your pardon?"

Gandalf gave a sigh. "I believe you are quite right, my dear. To think I should live to be "good morninged" by Belladonna Took's son as if I were selling buttons at the door!"

"Beg your pardon?" he repeated, a bit more firmly in his confusion.

"You've changed and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins," tutted the wizard.

Bilbo was still lost. "I'm sorry, do I know either of you?"

"Not me," Emma offered, giving a small sheepish wave. "Hi."

Gandalf continued on with a huff. "Well, you know my name although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf, and Gandalf means…me."

Bilbo's brows knitted together in dawning realization. "Gandalf? Not….Gandalf the wandering wizard who made such _excellent_ fireworks? Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve!" He gave a little chuckle at the memory, the pipe clicking between his teeth as he took a small puff. "No idea you were still in business."

"And where else should I be?"

Bilbo awkwardly messed with his pipe to avoid answering the potentially pointed question.

Emma quickly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh at Bilbo's change in tone and for the great wizard to be remembered for only his fireworks and not his magical ability. The two turned their attention to her at her less than dignified sound and she tried to compose her expression.

"Well, I'm pleased to find you remember something about me…even if it's only my fireworks," Gandalf continued, grumbling slightly at the end. He moved so to nudge Emma forward. Thankfully, she didn't trip. "This is Lady Emma Rogers. She has agreed to come on this adventure as well."

"Emma," she politely clarified, looking between them with a little shrug. She stepped up to the closed gate, holding out her hand for Bilbo to take. "I'm not really all that formal," she tried to joke.

The Hobbit glanced down at her hand and carefully closed just enough distance to be cordial yet far enough away as he gave a shake. Not a particularly strong one, she couldn't help but notice. The contact was very brief, as if he couldn't let go fast enough.

"Nice to meet you, Emma," he greeted nicely. "I'm Bilbo Baggins."

"So I heard," she grinned. "Nice to meet you too."

There was thud of Gandalf's staff striking the ground and the two looked back to him.

"Well, it's been decided." He gave a knowing look, a smile barely hidden beneath his beard as he pointed a finger at Bilbo. "It'll be very good for you. And most amusing for me. I shall inform the others. Emma, I shall return for you."

"Return-?!"

"Inform the who? What? No," sputtered both Bilbo and Emma, though for very different reasons.

"No-now wait," argued the proper Hobbit. "We do not want any adventures _here_, thank you! Not today-not—I suggest you try over the hill. Or across the…the water."

Gandalf nodded. "Very well, Bilbo. Although I'm afraid I must impose and ask that my companion wait for me here. I have one more stop I need to make for our adventure and I'm afraid I will have to travel quickly to complete it."

The girl couldn't help but reach out and grasp the sleeve of his robe, panic rising. He was just going to leave her?! Ignoring the short joke within his reasoning, she looked up at him for answers.

"Do not worry, Emma," he consoled her quietly, patting the top of her hand with his own. He gave a surreptitious wink that Bilbo couldn't see. "I will return. I thought it would be best that you wait with someone who knows me, if only for my fireworks."

She couldn't help but give a helpless sort of nod, unable to argue. He was right, of course. He was Gandalf after all. He tended to be right about most things. And she wasn't exactly in a position to argue.

Bilbo sputtered at the abrupt guest he was being saddled with, hurrying back toward the gate. "Now see here—you cannot go about inviting yourself over—"

"My apologies, Bilbo, I didn't mean to intrude on your schedule," Gandalf apologized, though Emma failed to notice any sincerity. "I'm sure you must be busy. Perhaps you could point us toward the Sackville-Baggins?"

_That_ seemed to be a sore point.

"The _Sackville-Baggins_?" Bilbo all but squawked.

Emma couldn't help but be very confused by his reaction, looking back and forth between the two. She took a guess, "Are they…not nice?"

"Ha!" Bilbo scoffed. "They'd steal the buttons right off your coat if you'd so much as look away—Lobelia alone has tried no less than five times to nick my silver spoons. Five!"

"Then it's settled," smiled Gandalf kindly. "I shall entrust Emma to you and I will return, say around supper?"

* * *

"Y'know, I've gotta give you credit."

Bilbo looked over at her as they made their way further into town, now wearing his blue coat even though Emma thought the weather was just perfect. She would've removed her sweater if she wouldn't look even more ridiculous in her oversized dress. At least the sweater hid her figure well enough and then now scooping neckline.

"Whatever for?" he asked.

She gave a sheepish smile. "You're handling this sudden…socializing, really well. I know I hate it when I'm put on the spot so I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It is a bit unusual—some notice would've been appreciated, of course—but a Baggins does not leave a fellow Hobbit turned out," he explained.

_A fellow Hobbit…_she couldn't help but repeat to herself, reaching up to push her hair back over her shoulder still unused to the new length, and in the process she brushed over her newfound pointed ears. Not too much but definitely noticeable. Of all things, in all of this confusion, why was her body the one thing to change? Why not her mind, giving her more Middle Earth knowledge or even a proper identity? Why the mixed reality confusion? What good was that to anyone? She really needed to ask Gandalf more about "the Valar" he mentioned before. Though she would bet good money that she would have to save most of her questions for Lord Elrond.

"…even if that person is a rather odd wizard."

She blinked, having spaced out while Bilbo was still speaking, but she did give a smile at the last part. "You noticed that too, huh?"

"Yes, who questions a good morning? It's a good morning!" he exasperated, still frustrated from the wizard's earlier cryptic greeting. Emma couldn't help but give a laugh, sympathetic to his annoyance.

"I'm with you on that," she agreed, trying not to laugh too much. She didn't need to insult her host for the day.

The Shire had shifted from the sprawling homes to a more populated shopping center. There were now small crowds and she became more aware of eyes noticing her and she shifted a half step closer to Bilbo. Before, Gandalf had held most of the focus as the tall figure but now she could feel the townsfolk taking note of her properly. She distracted her nerves by looking at the different stalls selling items and the little groups of children running and playing. A smile pulled at her lips at the too cute sight.

"Hello, Mr. Bilbo!" called a friendly voice. They both turned around to see a gentleman slowing to a stop with his wheelbarrow. He wore a wide brimmed hat and gloves, his face warmed from the sun and he greeted them with a smile. "Lovely day we're having!"

"Yes, it is," Bilbo answered easily. The new Hobbit pulled up a kind of bulbous plant for him to see.

"Just got these in from West Farthing!" he told him, beaming with prize. "Sure to be a real treat!"

"Very impressive, Mr. Worrywort," Bilbo nodded, mildly amused. Emma managed to contain her giggle at the surname just as she was spotted.

"Oh, my apologies, miss!" the farmer excused. "I didn't mean to interrupt your stroll!"

She quickly gave a dismissing wave, unbothered. "No, no, you're fine. No worries."

"Well, I'll just leave you and Mr. Bilbo to it then. Good morning!"

Just like that, he went on his way and Bilbo carried on, the girl following quickly behind with a little laugh to herself. Such friendly people, Hobbits.

* * *

The rest of the day passed easily enough and almost all too soon it was evening. Nerves started to flutter as she become restless, constantly checking the windows. Bilbo noticed her change in demeanor as he poured them both a cup of tea.

"Are you nervous? About this…adventure of yours?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes," she answered honestly. It was true, she was worried. Hell, she was still worried that Middle Earth was currently her reality but that needed to be put on the back burner for now. "But that doesn't mean the adventure's not worth it."

"Really? Even with the fear?"

She accepted the tea cup with a nod of thanks. "Well, yeah, there's always a bit of fear when doing something new, but when isn't there? Kinda makes it more exciting, don't you think?"

"I believe we may have different definitions of "exciting"," he said as they took a seat at the dining table. "So you've been on an adventure like this before? With wizards?"

"No, not with wizards," she laughed. Her fork pushed the food on her plate around, not really interested in eating while her stomach was in worried knots. "I've been on different types of adventures, I guess. Moving away from home, working new jobs, things like that. No magic involved but still, scary in different ways."

"Moving from home—?"

A chime rang throughout the home with startling clarity.

They both flinched and looked to each other, Bilbo startled while Emma's excitement and nerves bubbled further.

_Here we go…!_

She couldn't help but follow Bilbo, hanging back just a little bit to stay out of the way. The round green door opened and she nearly gasped aloud as the imposing figure of Dwalin filled the frame. With her new Hobbit height she was stunned by just how tall the Dwarf was in comparison. Even beneath the brown cloak she could see his broad shoulders and she could do the quick math that was she did _not_ want to cross him on the battlefield.

"Dwalin. At your service." His boots even clicked as he gave a small bow in greeting.

"Bilbo…Baggins, at—at yours…"

His gaze found her and Emma gave a little bow as well, impulsively parroting the guest.

"Emma Rogers, at yours."

Bilbo spoke up, "I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

Dwalin's steps sounded especially loud in the home as he stepped inside, giving the uninformed host an odd look. "No."

Shrugging off his cloak, he glanced around and gave a sniff. "Which way, lassie? Is it down here?"

"Is what-?" she stopped herself, answering her own question. That's right. "Um, yes, the food is just around the corner here."

He gave an appreciated grunt as he marched on, Bilbo giving her a reproachful look instead.

"What is going on?" he demanded in a strained whisper. "Do you know him?"

"Not…exactly…" she tried to answer. Bilbo gave a flustered wave between the door and the dining room.

"What on earth am I supposed to do with a dwarf in the house?"

She gave a sympathetic look, unable to properly tell him. "I...I would suggest feeding the guy. You just have to tough it until Gandalf gets here. He'll explain everything for you, I promise."

There was the clink of delicate plates being moved and Bilbo held up a stern finger to her in warning. "He'd better have a very good explanation."

"Scout's honor," she promised.

Fortunately, Bilbo was able to keep his composure well enough as Dwalin ate the entirety of what was meant to be dinner for two. Even though her own stomach was dully aware of its own hunger, her nerves kept it repressed as she continued to check the window for the next guest. If she remembered correctly, the dwarves arrived in little groups before Gandalf and the remainder arrived, Thorin being the very last person to find the Hobbit home.

"This is good," said Dwalin, breaking the awkward silence that had unintentionally grown. "You have any more?"

Emma blinked when she realized that the question was directed to her. "Oh—um, I don't know—Bilbo?"

"Oh, well, yes…" Bilbo brought over a plate of scones, pocketing one for himself. She couldn't ignore the strange look Dwalin was leveling her with. Suspicion.

Before she could try to explain, the doorbell chimed again. Bilbo looked back to the entryway, confused.

"That'll be the door," Dwalin told him, his intense look focused on the host. Nodding, dumbfounded, Bilbo left to answer the door.

In no time, a white haired Dwarf entered the dining room. Dwalin was on his feet in an instant with a rumbling laugh.

"By my beard! You're shorter and wider than last we met."

"Wider, not shorter," Balin corrected with a chuckle of his own. "Sharp enough for both of us I reckon, brother."

Their hands found each other's shoulders and while smiling and laughing, they brought their foreheads together so sharply it sounded like rocks crashing and Emma couldn't quiet the startled yelp that escaped her, her hands clapping over her mouth.

The brothers turned to look at her and she couldn't help the embarrassed blush that dared to creep up.

"Sorry," she apologized. "But are you okay?"

"No worries, lass, tis a dwarven greeting," Balin kindly informed her. He then gave a bow and introduced himself properly. "Balin, at your service."

"Emma Rogers, at yours," she answered, giving the same little bow as before.

"You have a lovely home here, Lady Emma," Balin said, looking around at the structure.

"Oh—um, no—I mean, thank you, but it's not mine," she quickly dismissed, waving her hands in front of her as if to shoo away the compliment while nervous laughter threatened to break free. "It's Bilbo's, I—I don't live here—Gandalf brought me along."

That piqued the older Dwarf's interest. "Really now? I'm afraid we weren't told."

"Sorry, it was kind of…a last minute thing…" she trailed, unsure of how Gandalf wanted to explain everything.

Thankfully, Dwalin distracted his older brother enough by steering him to the food stores and Bilbo was quick on their heels, trying to explain that he did not know the Dwarves and he didn't know why they were in his house. Emma hung back out of the way, not wanting to be caught underfoot and to be excused from answering any more questions as to why she was there. Really, Gandalf should have told her the cover story before ditching her in the Shire. How was she supposed to try and make a good first impression and keep her facts in order? Wouldn't inconsistencies make her more suspicious to the company—?

Another ring sounded.

But Bilbo didn't make for the door. He was still in the food stores talking at Dwalin and Balin. Panicking, not wanting anyone from the company to accidentally wander off, Emma waited an extra beat before daring to head to the front door herself. That was okay, right? It wasn't exactly like the movie but they had to make sure that everyone arrived. That was the most important part.

Grasping the handle, she took a breath before pulling the round door open.

Two more Dwarves filled the curved doorway and she was doubly reminded of just how small she was in comparison. They were nearly equal in height while one had blonde hair and the other had dark. She found her attention lingering on the blonde, the contrast from his coloring to the night sky behind him had him almost illuminated in a way. _Handsome…_a small part of her mind noted, not recognizing that perhaps it wasn't the best time.

"Fili—"

"—and Kili—"

"At your service," they chorused, both bowing at the same time. The dark haired one, Kili, gave a bright smile.

"You must be Master Boggins!"

"What—oh, no, sorry," she gave a laugh. Her wandering thoughts and the synchronicity of their greeting had stunned her for a second, and she gave a quick little bow like she had for the others. "Emma Rogers, at your service."

The blonde brow furrowed in concern. "Rogers? Are we at the wrong house?"

"Has it been cancelled?"

"No one told us."

Emma quickly brought her hands to stop the flow of questions, before she lost track of what question she could answer. "No, no! Everything's fine! Sorry, Gandalf brought me—Bilbo's inside—maybe having a meltdown—but you're at the right house, promise."

"That's a relief!" cheered Kili, already making his way forward. There was a definite twinge of annoyance as the brothers practically shoved past her as they made their way inside like they owned the place. _Okay, that was rude…_

The door was swinging closed when Fili, the blonde, stopped in front of her. Confused, she watched as he shrugged off some straps off his shoulders. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was becoming a bundle of blades (sheathed, thank god).

"Careful with these," he told her, dropping the pile into her arms. "I just had 'em sharpened."

She was going to answer sarcastically but gave an "oof!" at the sudden weight instead, looking incredulously from the blades to the Dwarf. He didn't seem to notice as he pulled out smaller knives from the inside of his coat, then from each boot, adding them to the growing pile that she was beginning to have trouble holding up.

"Hey!" Fed up, she shoved the items back into his arms with some difficulty and a loud, indignant huff. "I don't know who you think you are, but don't be rude—I'm not your mother and I'm not your maid—put it away yourself!"

There was a cackle from behind her that she would guess was Kili while Fili's braided mustache gave a little twitch at her outburst. He held the pile of weapons with ease as he looked down at her with interest, if possible making her flustered blush darken. She wasn't one to usually snap outright, so that was embarrassing.

"And where would you suggest I put them, my lady?" he asked easily, though she could hear the teasing tone well enough. She was well-versed in smartass. Looking away from the smirking Dwarf, she spotted the little trunk like box in the hall that already had mud on the edge of the lid. Well, Bilbo wouldn't like it, but hey, in for a penny, in for a pound.

"Here should be fine," she said, gesturing to the box.

"As you wish," he agreed easily enough, though still smirking.

Dwalin's voice sounded out, interrupting the girl's annoyance. "Fili, Kili, come on. Give us a hand."

The two followed the older Dwarf just as Bilbo made his way back to the front of the house, stunned by the two new arrivals. He turned to Emma, at a loss.

"What is going on?! Why are there dwarves in my house? Where do they keep coming from?!"

Before she could try to explain, the doorbell rang again and Bilbo gave her an incredulous look before he stomped off to the door, the girl quickly following.

"There's just—just a couple more," she tried to explain.

"What do you-?! There are already four dwarves ransacking my kitchen and you're telling me there are more?!"

Emma placed her back toward the door as she tried to defuse the situation.

"It's not so bad—just a couple more—'

As soon as the handle turned, the door was sent flying open and Emma found herself crashing to the ground as the rest of the company fell over the threshold.

Wheezing, Emma tried to chirp from her spot on the floor beneath some of the bodies, "See…? Just a couple…ow…"

* * *

**REVIEW! Your thoughts would be so great! Sorry for the long wait but here we go! Dwarves are arriving! Next time is the rest of the dinner sequence and having to convince Thorin to accept Emma into the company. Gotta make a good impression!**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Cross the Chessboard**

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Becoming acquainted with the floor of Bilbo Baggins' front foyer wasn't exactly where she saw her evening going, but hey, it seemed to be the kind of luck she was having lately. That being said, Dwarves were freakin'_ heavy_.

"Oi!"

"Gerroff me!"

"Get yer knee out o' me back!"

"Watch yer boot!"

"Get off, you big lump!"

It was chaos trying to get everyone back on their feet and Emma couldn't help but add to the madness, give a sharp yelp when an elbow pointedly dug into the back of her thigh. A hand circled her upper arm easily and she was yanked out of the pile and upright in one swift motion. Still a little wobbly with her feet under her once more, she looked up to see the Dwarf with the star styled hair beside her. Still a little dazed, she couldn't quite recall his name though she did remember the hair. _One of the 'Ri brothers…?_

"Th-thanks…" she managed to wheeze. He quirked a braided brow, amused.

"Tricky spot to be in," he smirked. His hands fell back to his hips as he called out to the still straightening Dwarves. "Careful, Bombur! Nearly crushed our host!"

"No—not the host," Emma quickly waved, gesturing over to Bilbo who was currently staring Gandalf down with an unamused look. With the proper Hobbit distracted, Emma busied herself with helping the other Dwarves to their feet. The one wearing a hat gave a toothy smile and accepted her hand with an easy clasp.

"My thanks, lass." He tilted his head over to the figure of the largest Dwarf. "Mind lendin' a hand?"

She nodded with a smile of her own, his good attitude infectious. They both worked to help poor Bombur up, first to his knees, then his feet. Another Dwarf joined their effort, one with an axe imbedded in his forehead, but there was little time to focus on that detail.

"My apologies, Miss," Bombur said for the umpteenth time since they started to help.

"It's no problem," Emma laughed, ignoring the twinges in her back. Definitely going to be a bruise. She gave his hand a little pat to assure him there were no hard feelings. "We all fall. No big deal."

Thankfully, the company was distracted with the prospect of food and Bilbo's focus was swiftly moved to the rapidly depleting status of his pantry. Left alone for a brief moment in the entry way, Gandalf raised a curious brow.

"How was your day, my dear?" he asked innocently enough. Emma raised her own brow in mimicry.

"Good, I guess—all things considering—but I'm pretty sure Bilbo's mad at me for not warning him about the others," she answered honestly.

"And why didn't you?"

She blinked at the odd question. "Um…because, well, if he had all day to panic about it I think he might've tried to turn them away—or pretend no one was home. I've skipped enough social plans to know the usual escapes."

"And you understood that there are things must…unravel, in its own way, to come together anew," Gandalf hummed. "That undoing may lead to…unfavorable consequences."

This time she furrowed her brow in worry as she looked up at the tall wizard. That seemed…odd. "You're saying I…_shouldn't_ change things?"

"Not all things need changing," he winked, "but, perhaps, some do."

She gave a wry smile. "Ask a question, get a riddle. Real nice, Gandalf."

He simply hummed in response, a smile beneath his beard.

The home was becoming noisier with each passing moment and they dared to move toward the dining room where she could've sworn she heard Bilbo's indignant voice say, "_Not_ my prize-winners!"

Though the dining area was chaotic it was also oddly effective. Bodies were moving past one another, no collisions, the table was filling with food, and somehow Emma found herself setting plates while Gandalf handled silverware. It was a transition she had somehow missed but there didn't seem to be any time to question it and at this point, she was just going with the flow.

"Miss, would you care for a cup of chamomile tea?" spoke a voice to her left. Turning, she saw the Dwarf with silver-white hair and a beard that was so tidily braided she couldn't tell where the braids on his beard end and the ones on his head began.

"Actually, yeah, that would be great. Thank you," Emma agreed, realizing that she was, in fact, parched. Being so wound up with nerves all day she hadn't really had the thirst or appetite for anything. He smiled and poured the tea into a little ceramic looking mug. How did he have time to make tea in the time since they arrived? _Maybe it's just better not to ask_, she told herself.

"Thank you so much." Before she forgot, she quickly held out her free hand and gave a smile. "I'm Emma."

"Dori," he returned, taking her hand carefully after a moment.

"Nice to meet you!" she chirped. The conversation was quickly ended as they were swept back up in the business of getting dinner ready.

And if getting ready for a meal was an ordeal then so was eating it. Of course.

Again, she didn't quite know how, but she ended up in a seat between Kili and the Dwarf that had helped her out from the pile-up, Nori. Food was being tossed back and forth, Bombur had caught what looked like a hard-boiled egg in his mouth that was thrown from the opposite end of the table which caused a roar of celebration to break out. The room was loud with voices, laughter, and random bouts of cheering she didn't know what for, but nonetheless, she found herself laughing along. She even managed to eat a bit of the food as well, keeping a protective hand on her chamomile tea, saving the delicate cup from certain disaster when Fili was literally walking on the table to hand out more mugs of ale. Who in their right mind walked on top of a full table? Though better yet, why did one Hobbit home had so many dishes and mugs?

She must be getting tired if she was more concerned by the dish question and not how she missed accepting a mug of ale that was now in her hand.

Suddenly, someone somewhere must've said something because it became weirdly quiet as everyone tipped their heads back to chug their drinks. Emma took a sip of her drink to pretend to play along, watching them down their tankards with impressive speed. Almost instantly, the belching began (seemingly the point of the chugging). Nori was first, then someone else, louder, and finally the Dwarf on the other side of Kili stood up and let out the loudest burp she had ever heard in her life, and the _longest_. In fact, it went on for so long she was almost concerned that a demonic voice was going to take over. At this point, she'd believe anything. Ale demons? Believed.

"Ori! There's a lady present!' scolded Dori from the other side of the table. It didn't matter because Emma was already at the point of giggles from the sheer _absurdity_ of everything, and the fact that such a sweet faced Dwarf had released such a disproportioned sound just pushed her over the edge. Shoulders shaking, trying to hide her grin behind her mug, she just gave up and allowed herself to enjoy the hilarity, laughing outright with an unladylike snort. Cheers and noise broke out again and the mugs were refilled.

Was it magic or some secret sign she was missing? Because cleanup started up just as smoothly as set up, the motions seamless. No rushing, no scolding, everyone was done eating and not forced to hurry up. After doing her time working in restaurants and other odd jobs, man, she would've killed for just a fraction of the synergy.

Bilbo's voice cried out, "Excuse me! That's my mother's West Farthing pottery—it's over a hundred years old!"

Okay, the tossing of the over-a-hundred-years-old plates like Frisbees would stress her out too if she was in Bilbo's position. She gave a little flinch and yelp as a bowl arched over her head, turning around to see Fili bumping a plate next over to Kili with his elbow and he gave a smirk as the next dish soared easily over her. She quickly hurried out the way, not wanting to be in the middle of the mess. There was no chance in hell that she could catch a plate, good lord. Hand-eye coordination was _not_ her forte, no sir.

Bilbo, the poor, flustered host, turned his attention back to the Dwarves in the dining room.

"And can—can you not do that—you'll blunt them!" exasperated Bilbo as the silverware clinked and scraped against each other.

"Ooooh—Do you hear that, lads?" called out Bofur with a sneaky grin. "He said we'll blunt the knives!"

Dishes were beginning to be thrown and bounced through the air and Emma quickly pulled Bilbo out of the way so Fili could clearly toss the plates to Kili, the amount of dishes increasing. Excitement was making her pulse flutter as she heard the boots begin to stomp in time. _Oh my god, they're going to do the thing!_

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks_…" began Kili.

His brother easily picked up the next line. "_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_…"

"_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_…" Everyone was starting to join in now. "_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_"

"_Cut the cloth, tread on the fat,_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat,_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor,_

_Splash the wine on every door_!"

The dishes were truly flying now and Emma could only watch with wide and excited eyes, doing her best to stay out of the way. The sight was as efficient as it was nerve racking, but she kept time to the song by clapping despite all of that. Bilbo gave her a strange look of indignant confusion.

"I'm sorry, does everyone know this song but me?"

_Whoops_, she was singing along. Giving a shrug, she continued on. Maybe it was the full belly, the warm home, or the fun atmosphere, but she didn't care as she joined the others fully on the next verse.

"_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowls,_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole,_

_When you're finished if they are whole,_

_Send them down the hall to roll_!"

The look of disbelief on Bilbo's face as every dish, bowl, and cup was cleaned and stacked perfectly was even better in person and the song ended with a loud burst of laughter from everyone. "_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates_!"

Three solid knocks sounded against the door and pierced through the rambunctious merriment instantly, causing the entire house to fall deathly silent. For a moment, no one seemed to breathe and Emma had to wonder if maybe _Baba Yaga_ came to Bag End instead.

"He is here," announced Gandalf somberly.

_Well, that's not terrifying at all…_

Emma moved with the company as they filled the available space in and around the foyer and she found herself near the front with Kili and Ori, thankful for the spot due to her new lack of height. She could see the wizard crouch down and he opened the round door fully.

A chill danced down her spine when the deep voice rumbled and she found herself holding her breath.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find." Footsteps were heavy as he crossed the threshold. "I lost my way. Twice. I wouldn't have found it at all if it had not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark?" broke Bilbo's voice, stepping forward. "There's no mark on that door—it was painted a week ago!"

The girl could barely hear Bilbo and Gandalf's exchange as Thorin's gaze scanned the faces of the company. Her previous relief at being near the front was completely erased and she quickly stepped behind Kili. Maybe she wouldn't have to say anything? That would be ideal. Just let Gandalf do his thing and let him take the lead. Perfect

Speaking of, Gandalf began to introduce everyone with a wave of his hand and she dared to peer from behind the dwarf prince.

"Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield."

"So…this is the Hobbit," Thorin said, studying the smaller man. "Tell me, Master Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?"

"Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?" he pressed on, slowly circling him.

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know," he managed to answer with a bit of sarcasm though the amused smile did fall. "But I fail to see why that's…relevant."

"Thought as much," Thorin smirked, amused. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Chuckling broke out among the company and Emma was caught off guard to hear her own voice cut through the air.

"Well there's no need to be rude."

The laughter died immediately and she was internally screaming at her own thoughtlessness. _What happened to being quiet?!_

Gandalf tried not to sigh. "And this is Miss Emma Rogers. An additional member I would like to see join your company's quest."

_Talk about shit first impression, Rogers._

Thorin had turned at her voice in an instant, his sharp gaze focused on her and she had to face the music, so she stood up straighter and maintained eye contact. She tentatively moved from her partial hiding spot and stepped forward, extending her hand out to him and praying that she wasn't shaking. Noticeably, at least.

"It's nice to meet you." Despite everything, it _was_ nice to meet him. It was nice to meet everyone so far. Even if he was snippy to Bilbo.

And did people shake hands with a king? She sure as hell wasn't about to curtsey and this was the next best thing her sleep deprived brain could think of. _For the love of god, please don't leave me hanging. That's embarrassing in any reality…_

After what felt like an eternity, Thorin, King Under the Mountain, accepted her handshake. Whereas when she met Bilbo, who felt like he couldn't let go of her hand fast enough, the Dwarf before her returned her grip firmly. Blue eyes studied her intensely but she didn't dare break the contact. The corner of her mouth twitched in a smile and she gave a slight nod of her head before they let go.

"And what is your reason for wanting to join our company?" he asked her.

"To help as much as I can," she answered in all truthfulness.

Gandalf spoke up again. "Miss Emma has the unique gift of foresight that would prove to be most useful in regards to your quest. She has been brought a long way from home to offer aid."

Interested murmurs broke out among the Dwarves and that firm gaze found her again and she had to use all her strength not to fidget, especially when he began to circle her the same way he did Bilbo. The similarity of a predator circling its prey was not lost on her.

"Then I pose to you the same question, Miss Emma: have you any experience with fighting?" he asked.

"Just with words," she answered. She had never properly been in a physical fight before, but she could sure as hell tear into someone. If "Smartass" was a marketable skill it would be at the top of her work resume.

"Have you travelled before?"

"Yes," she answered brightly. Finally, a question she could really answer. "Quite a lot actually. For work and for fun."

He quirked a brow. "For work?"

"Yes, I work," she answered, gaze narrowing slightly and she was unable to keep the challenging tone completely out of her voice. "Little bit of everything over the years. I was even a life guard for quite a few summers too."

He almost frowned at her statement. "You would guard others despite your lack of fighting experience?"

She gave a little shrug. "Mostly from themselves and stupidity. And bonus, I'm an excellent swimmer—" she couldn't help but cringe at her oversharing, "—though I don't know how useful that is here, to be honest…"

There was a pause as she forced herself to stop rambling and she simply maintained her eye contact with the Dwarf, waiting for his next question. Instead, he tilted his chin up in a type of nod. Whether that was a good or bad sign, she didn't know.

"Very well. I will hear you out."

On that note, he turned heel and was guided into the dining room, leaving the two Hobbits and wizard behind.

* * *

Following the others, Emma slipped into the first available spot so to avoid accidentally being seated near the head of the table by Thorin and Gandalf. Anything to avoid the King's stare. She would like to escape some awkwardness, thank you so much.

"Hello again."

Looking up and to her left, she found herself next to the blonde dwarf, Fili. He still had that amused look about him and she gave a little smile in return. "Hi."

"I'm relieved you're not still cross with me," he chuckled, his forearms resting on the table. She furrowed her brow slightly, confused.

"Why would I be mad at you?" she asked.

He answered with his own brow raise. "I seem to recall you telling me off when we first arrived."

"Oh, c'mon—you dumped your armory on me!" she defended in a forced whisper, not wanting to attract attention from the rest of the company. An embarrassed flush dared to warm her face once more. Again, she didn't normally snap at people she just met. _God, how embarrassing…_

"My apologies, my lady," he gave a little bow of his head, but he certainly didn't sound contrite, still amused. "It was not my intention to offend."

Emma gave a little huff. There was no point in her being worked up about it, really. It had just flustered her was all.

"I didn't mean to bite your head off either." She gave a smile and brought her right hand across to offer it out to him. "Truce?"

He regarded her hand oddly but accepted it easily enough. The leather of the partial glove was warm against her palm as her hand was lost within his grip. He gave that smile again that made his braids twitch.

"You're an odd one, Miss Emma."

"It keeps things exciting," she shrugged easily. "And just Emma—there's no need for formalities with me."

He answered without hesitation. "As you wish, Just Emma."

They shared a look and she fought a smirk. _All right. Dwarf got jokes_. "Point to you."

Their conversation quieted as Balin spoke up from the end of the table, his voice clear for the company to hear.

"What news of the meeting in Ered Luin?" asked the white haired dwarf. "Did they all come?"

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms," answered Thorin, his voice rumbling. Grins and hopeful murmurs broke out across the table from everyone, pleased at the news.

Dwalin spoke up next, sitting beside Gandalf. "And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?"

Silence fell across the table as everyone listened intently.

Thorin's serious expression fell further. "They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

The air grew tense at the heavy verdict. Not even their fellow kin would help…

Bilbo's voice was small. "You're…going on a quest?"

Gandalf's words carried easily as he turned toward the host. "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light…"

The wizard pulled out a folded piece of aged parchment before smoothing it out on the table for them to see, further illuminated by the candle Bilbo provided.

"Far to the east…over ranges and rivers…beyond woodlands and wastelands…lies a single, solitary peak…"

"The Lonely Mountain…" read Bilbo slowly.

"Aye," sounded Gloin from the other side of the table. "Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time!"

_Portents? _Emma carefully leaned over and nudged Fili, bringing her hand to cover her mouth and quiet her words. "What're portents?"

"Signs of what's to come. Omens," he leaned in to whisper in return and she nodded in understanding.

Oin continued where his brother left off. "Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold. "_When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end_."

Bilbo's voice couldn't hide the tremor. "Um…what—what beast…?"

_Smaug_, answered Emma in her head, biting worriedly on her bottom lip. _The giant freakin' dragon…_

"Oh that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible. Chiefest and Greatest Calamity of our Age," answered Bofur, his tone overtly casual and pipe in hand. "Airborne fire breather. Teeth like razors. Claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," said Bilbo, not meaning to snap.

A chair squeaked as Ori suddenly stood up, hands on the table. "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!"

"Good lad, Ori!" cheered Nori while Dori yanked the younger brother back down into his seat with a firm, "Sit down!"

Balin's voice cut across the table. "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us…but we number just thirteen. And not thirteen of the best…nor brightest…"

There were some disgruntled murmurs to the comment, Nori calling out, "Who are you calling dim?"

Emma flinched terribly as Fili's fist came down on the table, drawing everyone's attention and she turned in her seat to look to him as well.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us!" he told the company. He brought his hand down on the table again. "To the last Dwarf!"

Kili jumped in as well. "And you forget, we have a wizard in our company! Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!"

"Oh, well, I-I wouldn't say that—"

"How many then?" piped up Dori.

"What?"

"How many dragons have you killed?" he clarified. When he didn't answer right away, he pressed again. "Go on, give us a number."

Voices and arguing broke out almost instantaneously, some rising out of their seats to shout across the table. It was so out of the blue, Emma couldn't help but look over at the wizard to see if he caused some kind of spell. Conveniently, he didn't have to answer the question with everyone fighting.

"No more!"

Thorin's shout cut through everything and there was silence as everyone dropped back to their seats as the king stood up.

"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too?" His eyes were flinty in the candlelight. "Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, and weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"

Cheering erupted at the rousing speech, noise filling the Hobbit home again, even some words from another language Emma could have sworn. Balin spoke over the noise, bringing the focus back to the main point.

"You forget. The front gate is sealed." The cheers settled back into silence almost immediately. "There is no way into the mountain."

"_That_, my dear Balin, is not entirely true."

With the smallest flourish of Gandalf's wrist, a carved key appeared in his hand.

"How came you by this?" asked Thorin, his voice just above a whisper.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping."

There was movement to her left and Emma noticed Fili and Kili leaning forward to get a better look. _Right, Thrain would've been their grandfather…_

"It is yours now."

The air seemed still as the key passed from wizard to king. It felt like the passing of a torch. The key his father wanted him to have, to take back their home.

It felt like hope.

"If there is a key," said Fili, interrupting the moment, "there must be a door."

Emma tried to nudge him with her elbow, unable to keep from cringing. _Major Supernatural, French Mistake flashbacks_, she thought to herself. "Dude, _duh_…"

Gandalf gave a nod, pointing to the map. "These runes speak of a hidden passageway to the lower halls."

"There's another way in…" grinned Kili, clapping his brother on the shoulder, excited.

Biting her lower lip again, Emma dared to speak up. "But…aren't there riddles normally involved with dwarven doors? Like, additional security to keep others from accidentally finding them?"

A hot blush flared up the back of her neck as seemingly everyone turned to stare at her and she tried to shrink down in her seat. Gandalf gave a knowing look and nodded, sparring her some embarrassment.

"You're quite right, Miss Emma. Dwarf doors are also invisible when closed," he explained. "The answer lies hidden in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it, but there are others in middle Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage, but if we are careful, and very clever," his gaze flickered to the girl and she sat up straighter. "I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," said Ori.

Bilbo made a small noise in agreement. "Hmm, a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine."

"And are you?" asked Balin.

The Hobbit looked over his shoulder to see if he was the one being addressed, confused by what he was being asked. "Am I what?"

Oin, using his ear trumpet, announced, "He said he's an expert!"

"Me? No, no, no, no," stammered Bilbo, alarmed. "I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"Well, I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Mr. Baggins," said Balin. "He's hardly burglar material."

"Nope!" Bilbo agreed quickly.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," said Dwalin, sending a look back toward Emma that made her bristle up in annoyance.

The arguing started up again, almost immediately, amongst the company. Some saying that Bilbo would be fine while the others argued that it was a bad idea and that neither Hobbit was cut out for the quest. Words were becoming lost to the overall noise in a small space as the arguing only seemed to escalate, voices blending.

Emma flinched as the floor began to tremble, followed by the candles on the table shaking, and she looked over to see darkness pooling out from Gandalf's own shadow, quickly filling his corner of the dining room. Giving an alarmed curse under her breath, she shoved herself back and accidentally elbowed Fili in the side in her attempt to create distance from the wizard. The wizard rose to his feet as the room became thick with shadows, the available light faltering.

"Enough!" he ordered, his voice uncharacteristically deep and reverberating throughout the crowded room. "If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar than a burglar he is."

With the dwarves silent, the shadows began to recede as Gandalf continued, his voice returning to normal.

"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And, while the dragon is accustom to Dwarf, the scent of Hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage." He slowly sat back down in his seat, turning more toward Thorin now. "You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company and I have chosen Mister Baggins. The Valar has smiled upon your quest by presenting Miss Emma to us as well. It would be foolish to turn her and her insight away. There's a lot more to both of them than appearances suggest. You must trust me on this."

The words seemed to hang in the air while Thorin carefully considered his proposal for a long moment.

"Very well. We'll do it your way." He turned to Balin. "Give them the contracts."

"It's just the usual," the dwarf assured them as he pulled paperwork from his pack. "Summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

_Funeral arrangements_.

She swallowed with difficulty as she accepted the thick sheaf of parchment, the contract suddenly heavy in her hand.

Before she could become too consumed by her foreboding thoughts, she somehow heard Bofur's voice over the other dwarves murmuring.

"Oh aye, it'll melt the flesh off yer bones in the blink of an eye."

Bilbo lowered the contract with a stunned, "Oh…"

"You all right, laddie?" asked Balin.

Even from her spot near the back of the table Emma could see the Hobbit's face begin to lose color. "Um, Bilbo—you really should sit down…"

Bofur didn't seem to get the hint. "Think furnace with wings."

"I-I-I need air…"

"Flash of light. Searing pain. Then poof! You're nothin' more than a pile of ash!"

"Hey, seriously, he's going to faint," Emma tried to warn. No one moved as Bilbo continued to sway, barely holding the contract in his hand. She couldn't help but huff, exasperated. "Dude, somebody—Bofur—grab him—!"

There was a solitary thump as their host for the evening promptly dropped to the ground.

* * *

The meeting came to an unspoken close after Master Baggins's fainting spell. The Hobbit was helped to his armchair and the rest of the company set off to different parts of the home to enjoy the rest of their evening. After all, it wasn't very often that they had the opportunity to enjoy such lodgings, not without the high cost of coin at least. Shelter, warmth, food and drink? They were indeed thankful for the hospitality.

With Gandalf busy speaking to Bilbo in the other room, Fili and his brother took the chance to slip away and steal a moment of their uncle's time.

"Fili. Kili," Thorin greeted the two with a clasp on their shoulders, studying each of them in turn. "I trust there was no trouble on your journey here?"

"None at all," Fili answered. "The weather even held for our travels as well."

Kili was already annoyed with the small talk, his eyes bright with excitement. "Uncle, did you know that Gandalf was bringing Miss Emma along?"

Their uncle's face darkened slightly in annoyance. "No. The wizard did not inform us of an additional Hobbit. Another non-fighter to watch out for on our journey…"

"But the gift of foresight could be an invaluable resource for us," Fili defended. "Knowing what is to come could only help to aid us in planning our path to the mountain."

"Or she could try to undermine us," Thorin said in return, his voice low in warning. "We do not know her or how her supposed gifts work."

The brothers shared a quick glance, Kili speaking up. "She was able to tell when Master Baggins was going to faint?"

Thorin raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Hardly an example of seeing into the future."

Fili couldn't help glancing back toward the dining room where the she-Hobbit in question was sitting at the table now next to Balin, going over the contract studiously. She was dressed strangely, by both dwarf and seemingly hobbit standards. Her gown was a deep blue but it didn't fit her correctly, being several sizes too large, pooling around her feet, draped over by an equally too large dark grey sweater that stopped just about her knees. Her hair was worn freely down her back, messy with curls the color of red clay. She certainly didn't look like a threat to the company. Odd, perhaps, but not dangerous. A dangerous person wouldn't try to keep someone from falling over in a faint, or alert him when Gandalf's magic began to make itself known.

As if to confirm his assumption, he could see a blush color her cheeks as she leaned in toward the older dwarf to ask a question, sheepishly pointing to a line on the contract.

"Her fate is her own. I cannot guarantee her safety on our journey," Thorin continued. "I told Gandalf just as much in regards to Master Baggins as well."

The two heirs nodded in understanding. Of course, that was condition for everyone in the company. It was a dangerous task they were undertaking and the good of the company had to come first. They had heard more than their share of lectures about safety before setting out for the Shire. Safety was paramount.

He and Kili dropped into the empty seats across from Emma and Balin, his younger brother already leaning forward.

"So you're officially joining us then?" Kili asked, eager.

Emma seemed a little surprised by their arrival but she gave a little smile as she turned the contract around for them to see her signature gleaming on the dotted line.

"Just signed!"

_Emma Jane Rogers_.

"Emma Jane?" Fili read aloud.

She nodded as she gave the paperwork back to Balin for his final approval. "Jane's my middle name. I just break it out for formal documents. Like…dragon quests..."

"Well, we are quite strict with our paperwork," he lightly joked in return.

Balin gave a faux stern look to the named-heir. "We do take these matters seriously, Fili."

He gave a bow of his head, his returning apology equally serious. "My apologies, Master Balin."

The white haired dwarf gave a low chuckle, folding up the contract in question as he turned back to the she-Hobbit. "Everything appears to be in order Miss Emma. Welcome to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

She released a breath she had been holding, giving a smile again. "Thanks for having me. I promise to do my best."

"Now that formalities are out of the way," said Kili, leaning forward on his elbows and giving a grin. "Miss Emma, why are you dressed so strangely?"

She seemed confused for a moment, glancing down at the too big clothing before covering her face with a groan. "Honestly, I don't even know. But thankfully, I was able to borrow some clothes from Bilbo for the road. So I'll just look weird for tonight if ya'll can stand the sight."

Kili looked confused by the word choice, the word even sounding strange in his mouth as he tried to recite it back. "Ya'll?"

This only served to color her cheeks pink again, which she tried to cover with her hands.

"Um, you all…" she half mumbled in explanation. "Sorry, I've picked up some southern twang from work—"

Their conversation was interrupted by a low hum resonating from the next room, the beginning bars of a song. The brothers got to their feet and Fili looked back to see Emma fidgeting if she should get up as well, her conflict clear across her face. Taking the short steps to her side of the table, he held out a hand to her. When she looked up at him in confusion he noticed that her eyes were a lovely shade of amber.

"You're a part of the company now, Just Emma," he told her, playing off their quip from earlier which made her smile. "You really should hear this."

"He's right. Just this one time though," Kili gave a cheeky wink which made his brother roll his eyes at the antics.

Emma gave a short laugh, taking Fili's hand and appreciating the help to her feet, her free hand busy holding up the excess length of her dress again. She followed the two into the living room where the mood became immediately more somber. The entire company had already gathered, the fireplace casting shadows across the members as he and Kili took their place, the eldest standing by the fireplace opposite their uncle.

"_Far over the misty mountains cold,  
To dungeons deep and caverns old,  
We must away ere break of day,  
To find our long-forgotten gold."_

The low tones filled the halls of Bag End, smoke from the lit pipes filling the room creating an almost fog that intertwined with the song of their home. Thorin carried the heart of the song while the other members of the company slowly trickled in. As the youngest, he, Kili, and Ori didn't usually join in the verses. There was something…haunted in the eyes of the company, of those who saw ruin of Erebor and the unmatched destruction of dragon fire…

Fili's gaze wandered across the room and eventually fell upon Emma, tucked away in the arched doorway. Even with the dim lighting, he could see her lips move slightly, forming the words of their song. Their people.

"_The pines were roaring on the height,  
The winds were moaning in the night,  
The fire was red, it flaming spread,  
The trees like torches blazed with light…"_

And he could've sworn, just for a moment, that those amber eyes looked impossibly sad…

* * *

**REVIEW! Your thoughts would be love! Sorry, I had to re-do this chapter, I couldn't stand it, I kept shifting storylines (already), and it's so information heavy (though necessary) it was just a pain for me to get through plus the ever infamous writer's block.**

**But! Everything is back on track and next chapter gets everyone on the road which will be fun.**

**So I apologize for all the craziness but I hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless!**

**Enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Cross the Chessboard**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Emma couldn't exactly remember falling asleep, but she woke up feeling warm and content. Curling up into a tighter ball, she was dully aware of the fact that she was sleeping in a chair and not her bed. Unbothered, she tried to fall back asleep. So she didn't make it to bed, no big deal, not the first time…

A loud snore jolted her back into partial awareness, her thoughts still a jumbled mess as she blearily looked back over her shoulder toward the offensive noise. _Geez, dad with the snoring—_

The bottom of her stomach sharply fell away as her shoulder suddenly dropped off the arm of the chair. Just barely managing to keep from falling out of the seat entirely, Emma quickly pushed herself fully upright, heart hammering as she finally realized that she was not back at home and that the snoring was not coming from her dad sleeping in his worn out recliner. Hell, she wasn't even back at her own apartment.

_Oh shit…!_

She took a slow deep breath through her nose, trying to recall everything from the day before, now more than convinced it wasn't all some kind of extensive fever dream. _One thing at a time…_she mentally told herself to keep from accidentally freaking out. _Definitely don't scream because you're in a room full of sleeping dwarves…_

Daylight was just starting to filter through the round windows, still tinged by the last few shadows of the night before. Gathering up the excess material of her dress, she carefully rose to her feet, doing her best to keep her steps light as she slipped out of the living room where most of the dwarves seemed to be sleeping. She certainly didn't want to wake anyone on accident. That would be just plain rude and probably not the best way to try and start friendships. Being unnecessarily woken up at an ungodly hour certainly wasn't the way to go about earning _her_ good will anyway.

It took a moment, but she was able to find the bundle of loaned clothes she had received from Bilbo and tucked away just before the mayhem of the dwarves' arrival. Still doing her best to not make a sound, she was able to eventually find the bathroom where she slipped inside for some much needed privacy. The door closed behind her with a satisfying and secure click.

_Deep breath, deep breath…_Doing just that, some of the anxiety fueled lightheadedness abated after a moment. Turning to set the clothes on the edge of the sink, she caught sight of her reflection for the first time and it felt like the air was promptly punched out of her lungs again.

The shocked image that looked back at her was indeed her own but yet not her all at once. It was almost like a fun house mirror, distorted just enough to be jarring. She couldn't help but slowly lift her hand, her copy mimicking her, and touch her face to confirm that it was really there. Her eyes were the same brown color, as was the structure of her face, the stubborn freckles across the bridge of her nose too. Her hair was the correct shade, the awkward mix of brown and some red that always reminded her of dirt as a kid (courtesy of a summer vacation in Georgia and her younger brother's imagination, the descriptor just stuck), while the curls and waves were just as messy and disagreeable as before.

She tugged on a lock, confused by the length. Back home she wore her hair relatively short, an angled bob cut above the shoulder. It was the easiest way to manage her hair since she never could get it to cooperate. _So why on earth is it long here?_ She couldn't help but wonder, letting it fall so to see that it was able to easily cover her shoulder blades. She couldn't help but give an annoyed sigh. _Well that'll be a pain…_

Hair troubles aside, she tentatively changed out of her too large dress and into the more Hobbit sized attire. _Hobbit_. It was still bizarre to try and wrap her head around her newfound status, so she simply tried to focus on the task at hand. She tried not to look too long at her bare feet (slightly oversized and the tops of them had _hair_, dear _god_) as she pulled on the trousers. Next, a flash of color caught her eye.

"Oh!" Leaning closer to the mirror, she was immediately thrilled to see a necklace still loyally hanging around her neck. The chain was longer due to her difference in size but pulling it taunt, she was unbelievably happy to see the flat blue stone.

It wasn't fancy by any means. The stone was small, no bigger than a quarter, and framed by thin cooper wire that connected it to the silver chain. It was a little mismatched, but she loved it all the same. Her brother had made it for her before—

Her train of thought was interrupted when she noticed a new blemish on her chest. She wouldn't have noticed if she wasn't looking down directly at her necklace.

"The hell are you…?" she mumbled to herself. She leaned in closer to the mirror, further confused by the pearly white mark. Her eyebrows furrowed further as she brushed her fingertips over the circular marring. A scar of some sort?

_Well, I've shrunk nearly three feet, my feet are hairy, my ears are pointed, and my hair is long again, so why not have some random mark?_ she huffed with a shake of her head. Now wasn't the time, she decided as she pulled on the cream colored button down shirt. A little oversized but it was easily tucked into the trousers and she slipped the suspenders over her shoulders. Holding her arms out, she gave her reflection a once over.

"All right. Not so bad," she shrugged. She certainly looked more…Hobbit-y, she supposed. She glanced down at her discarded clothes. There was no point of keeping the dress since it in no way fit, though her hand hesitated on the grey cabled sweater. There was some practicality with a sweater, right? The weather was due to shift, evenings might be cool, and there would be literal mountain climbing involved. Gathering up the sweater, she held it to her chest. It was a reasonable item to keep, she told herself.

It took another moment for her to twist back her hair away from her face, working the length into a rough semblance of a braid and then wrapping it further into a bun. She couldn't stand having her hair down all the time, it was just too hot on the back of her neck. She wasn't prepped with hair ties and bobby pins but the upside to her unruly hair was that it could hold its shape fairly well, so she could manage for now.

Feeling steadier than she had when she first woke up, she picked up her belongings and tentatively stepped back into the hall, not knowing exactly how much time she had spent hiding in the bathroom. Not needing to put on the sweater just yet, she simply held it in her arms so to have something to keep her hands busy as she carefully made her way through the home.

Thankfully, the fates seemed to spare her some awkward wandering as she could smell something savory cooking and decided to follow her nose, quickly finding the kitchen. She could hear the bustle of people and found herself slowing her pace to a careful tiptoe. Anxiety fluttering to life again and it brought her to a stop behind the door frame, just out of sight. She couldn't help but feel uneasy. She was the odd man (Hobbit?) out of the group. How was she supposed to interact? Just jump in? She already knew she was going to mess something up—

"You know, the food is actually _in_ the kitchen."

Emma couldn't help but give an undignified yelp in surprise, whirling around to see the cheeky smirk of Nori standing right behind her. "Morning."

"G-g'morning!" she managed to return, doing her best to ignore the embarrassed flush working up the back of her neck.

"Nori don't frighten the poor lass," came a tut from Bombur. The red haired dwarf was working diligently at the stove top, hardly glancing up at the dwarf's antics. Nori gave a quick wink, easily bringing her into the room and before she knew it, she was seated at the table.

"Me? Frighten? You must have me confused for Dori," he shrugged, taking the spot across from her. "I would never."

The silver haired dwarf was at the table too, previously enjoying a cup of tea and his mouth dropped open in offense. "I am right here, Nori!"

"Never said _I_ was frightened of you," the brother answered flippantly. The smirk was still present under his beard, giving the distinct impression that he knew exactly how to wind his brother up. Dori either didn't notice or didn't care that he was playing into his brother's hand.

"Very nice, Nori. What a right first impression for us to make to Miss Emma," Dori reprimanded sternly.

"We've already crushed her upon arrival so I'd say we've made a fairly firm impression," Nori said, reaching for a piece of fresh bacon. Emma tried to smother a giggle at the remark while Bombur couldn't help but flinch.

"My apologies again, Miss Emma," he told her, shame faced.

"No, no, you're fine," she quickly assured him. "Trust me, I trip all the time, mostly over nothing."

"An entertaining skill to have," snorted Nori. She tried to pretend to be annoyed, but he slid the plate of bacon to her next and she accepted a piece, giving an amused smirk as truce.

More members of the company entered the room and the empty space to her left was suddenly filled. She couldn't help the small flinch mid-bite, surprised to see the same figure as the night before.

"G'morning," she greeted, passing the plate of bacon over to him.

Fili accepted the food with an appreciative grunt, "Mornin'…" and slid the dish to his brother who happily grabbed a few pieces before passing it on. There was an amicable silence for a moment as Emma nibbled on her strip of bacon, feeling very cozy in the kitchen, content with simply people watching as the company went about their business.

It was Gloin's voice that snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I knew it was a waste o' time, recruiting a Hobbit," he grumbled. "Don't know what the wizard was thinking."

"Yes, well, at least we were granted hospitality," reminded Dori from his side of the table. "And now we don't have to find another pony since Master Baggins is not joining us."

There was a general mumble of agreement and it took a second for Emma to connect the dots, her face paling somewhat. Her being there was already throwing off the groove of the story. What would happen if Bilbo ran to catch up with them and there was no pony for him to ride? It would affect the dynamic of the group, wouldn't it?

"Um—but Bilbo will join us…" she tentatively spoke up. Once again, her face grew hot under the stare of dwarves as they seemed to simultaneously stop what they were doing and look at her.

"But he didn't sign the contract," reminded Dori as Bombur passed out plates of breakfast. "And he isn't up and ready to leave with us now."

"I know, but—but he will," she tried to explain. "He'll still join…"

Fili's voice spoke up on her left. "Is this because of your gift? This foresight ability of yours?"

Face growing warmer still, she nodded. "I do know that he's coming with us…"

Dwalin gave a loud scoff from the right side of the room. "I'll believe that when I see it. The Hobbit did not seem willin' to leave his home."

"But he will," she insisted, embarrassment beginning to ebb away. "He just…doesn't know it yet…"

Another scoff.

Doing her best not to roll her eyes in mild annoyance, she added. "Well, if I'm wrong then I offer you bragging rights all the way to Erebor."

"I'll take that bet, lass," Dwalin agreed.

Nori spoke up next, a smirk in place.

"We can always make this bet more…financially beneficial."

"Nori, it's not even mid-morning. It is too early to start—" Dori's scolding was interrupted by Fili speaking up.

"I'll take that bet."

Emma quickly looked up at the dwarf but before she could say anything, his brother chimed in from the other side of the table.

"Aye, I will as well!" joined Kili. "We side with Emma!"

Nori was quickly taking count of the bets and the amounts wagered. "So Fili, Kili, and myself for Emma. Dwalin and Dori, of course, are against."

His brother simply crossed his arms in annoyance, but he didn't disagree as the rest of the company were asked if they wanted to participate.

"Already making bets. It's a strong move to make on the first day," Fili told her in a lowered voice so not to interrupt Nori's task of gathering names and coins. Emma gave a sort of half-shrug, confused but also a little entertained by how earnestly everyone was taking their wagers.

"I just offered bragging rights—I don't have anything else," she explained with a little laugh. "I thought it was harmless enough…"

Fili gave a snort. "Nori can't turn down a chance to earn some extra coin."

"Ah, a true businessman," Emma quipped, amused. That got a good chuckle from the blonde and she couldn't help but give her own pleased little smile in return. He was the first to actively take her side and her chest couldn't help but feel immediately warmed by the gesture.

In the end, it was six to four. Fili, Kili, Nori, Oin, Bofur, and even Gandalf sided with Emma while Dwalin, Balin, Dori, and Gloin did not. Dori wouldn't let Ori bet, and Bombur and Bifur politely declined joining (at least she thought so, she couldn't understand anything Bifur said, much to her confusion). Thorin also did not participate, perhaps due to his status as king, but most likely because he thought they were being foolish. The wager gave Bilbo until they made camp for the day and if he did not appear by then the losing party would have to pay up.

Breakfast was finished and the kitchen cleaned up in a timely manner before everyone collected their belongings. Emma came to a surprised halt when a bag was abruptly placed in her arms. Looking up, Gandalf gave her a nod.

"Careful not to forget your bag, Miss Emma," he told her quietly.

Knowing full well that she didn't arrive with a bag (or anything) ready for travel, she was able to draw the conclusion that the wizard had picked it up for her.

"Thank you," she told him in earnest gratitude. "Really—thank you."

He gave a knowing wink before stepping outside. Not having time to properly rummage through and see what was actually in the bag, she quickly stuffed the oversized blue dress inside, at the last moment deciding to keep the dumb thing, and pulled on her sweater, folding back the cuffs so to have the use of her hands.

Just like that, everyone was leaving. She trailed behind just a bit to try to take in the sight of Bag End once more. The sunlight highlighting the lush green and the vivid colors, the sky above a clear blue again. She could see why the Hobbits would be hesitant to leave the Shire. The quiet, the color, and that sense of peace. Maybe it was just the country girl in her, but it did give the familiar ache of homesickness. It had been a long time since she went to visit…

Shaking her head to rid herself of thoughts of home, she hurried to catch up with the others.

Only to slow to a stop when she realized that the company was now one pony short. Courtesy of her, of course.

With Bilbo arriving later and the ongoing bet, the pony was being saved for the burglar and the dwarves each had their own. Seeing that Gandalf had acquired a horse himself, it left her as the only member without some sort of transportation. She suppressed a groan and resisted the urge to smack her hand to her forehead. _Great work. Really stellar. Now I don't have a ride and get to be the odd man out walking. That won't be weird at all—_

"Emma, over here!" called Kili, giving a wave. He and Fili were checking their saddle bags much like everyone else and the girl hurried over, thrilled to not be awkwardly waiting along the outside of the group.

"Here, give me your bag," the archer told her, holding his hands out. Confused, she slowly slid the pack from her shoulder.

"Um, shouldn't…shouldn't I carry it?" she asked tentatively.

"If you'd rather, but it'll make riding more comfortable," Kili shrugged, still taking the bag and adding it to his pony's load.

She allowed her confusion to be obvious. "To ride? I thought I was walking?"

Both brothers turned to give her identical incredulous looks and she felt her face burn again as she quickly stumbled through her reasoning.

"I mean—since we were saving a pony for Bilbo—then being one short, I just figured I would be the odd one out and—"

"You thought we would make you _walk_…to _Erebor_?" Fili asked slowly, still stunned.

"But—the lack of a pony—and me being the last minute addition—"

"Mahal above, Emma. You were just going to ride with us. We wouldn't make you walk while we rode." He sounded almost outright affronted by the thought.

"Yeah, we add your bag to mine and you share with Fili," added Kili. "We volunteered after asking uncle if he wanted in on the bet."

"You…volunteered?" she asked slowly. Her heart gave a funny little thump at that as she looked between the two, gaze lingering on the blonde Dwarf for just an extra beat. Her chest felt tight with a mixture of flattery and relief at not traveling alone, coupled with a healthy dose of flustered embarrassment. "I—I mean, thank you…you really didn't have to—"

There was a shout from the front that interrupted and she turned to see that everyone had already mounted their ponies and the company was beginning to move out. At the sound of movement, she turned back to see Fili finish swinging his leg over and he was in place on the saddle. _Well, that was certainly more graceful than I could ever hope for…_

Once more, she only managed to notice at the last moment just how small she was and that the pony beside her seemed much, _much_ larger than she remembered. The riding portion of the small horse was suddenly _very_ high. God forbid if she met a proper horse on their journey.

"Ah, maybe—maybe walking isn't such a bad idea…?" she said in a half-hearted excuse. Did heights bother her before? She was tall back home, so maybe she didn't notice? Her mouth continued to run while her thoughts spiraled. "Y'know…fresh air…getting those steps in…"

The brothers shared a look and she knew right away to dread what was going to happen next. In the blink of an eye, Fili had reached down and grasped her arm while Kili laced his hands together and slipped it under her foot so that they both managed to lift her up onto the pony in one smooth motion.

While the teamwork was impressive, her landing was not. She couldn't help the undignified yelp that escaped her and she immediately grabbed onto Fili, ignoring the discomfort of the weapons he carried on his back and just prayed that she didn't fall right off the poor animal.

"Are you all right?" asked Fili. She couldn't see his face but she could hear him smirking at her. Something that was already becoming a regular occurrence.

"Mmhm. Yep. Great. Super," she answered tightly, eyes still closed. "Havin' a great time—don't mind me…"

She felt him laugh at her reaction and managed to open one eye to send a pathetic glare at his back, too nervous to be properly embarrassed.

"I won't let you fall," he promised.

"Please don't. But if you do, just know I'm bringing you down with me," she weakly warned. This time he properly laughed, the sound reverberating to her.

"Dully noted. I shall be wary of your fearsome strength, lest you bring me down."

"Thank you. It's nice to be taken seriously."

As if to mock her, the pony began moving forward and she barely managed to keep from yelping outright again, her vice-like grip on the back of Fili's coat never lessening. It took a few moments to get use to the feeling of riding before she dared to open her eyes and cautiously observed the moving scenery and her surroundings.

The air was fresh against her skin, there was the sound of casual chatter scattered about the company, the sun warming her hair, and she dared to look back for one more glimpse of the beautifully green Shire. A smile slowly pulled at her lips and she felt a spark of giddy excitement come to life.

_Here we go…A real adventure…!_

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**REVIEW! Thank you all so much for your reviews, you've been so sweet! A little bit of insight and the start of the journey! Emma has a bit of adjusting to do for her new Hobbit-status, but hey, it's half the fun. The other half is road-tripping with a bunch of dwarves and all that entails! Good luck, Emma! (Next chapter should have some Fili narration which I'm excited for, because, duh lol).**

**Your thoughts would be love and I hope you enjoy!**

**Thank you!**


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